Packaging for primary and secondary batteries

Abstract

A housing for a battery comprising a laminate made of a plurality of layers is provided. The battery housing has at least a barrier layer, typically two metal foils, and a sealing layer, which is intended to be in contact with the contents of a battery. Additionally, the battery housing can further include a protective layer over the barrier layer. Suitable materials for the sealant layer and barrier layers include polymers. Preferably, the laminate battery housing is flexible, although this is not required. The sealant layer, barrier layer and protective layer may also be adhesively attached. The battery housing of the present invention can also provide moisture and acid absorbers in various configurations.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A laminate for use as a battery housing, comprising: 
 (a) a sealant layer that is capable of acting as a barrier to an electrolyte, the sealant layer having an internal surface that is substantially inert to the electrolyte and an external surface;    (b) a barrier layer comprising a first layer of metal foil and a second layer of metal foil adjacent to the first layer, the barrier layer having a first surface disposed adjacent to the external surface of the sealant layer and an external surface.    
     
     
         2 . The laminate of  claim 1 , further comprising a layer of adhesive material between at least one pair of layers selected from the first and the second layers of metal foil and the sealant layer and the first layer of metal foil.  
     
     
         3 . The laminate of  claim 1  wherein the first and second layers of metal foil comprise aluminum foil.  
     
     
         4 . The laminate of  claim 1  wherein the first layer and the second layer of metal foil each have a thickness of between 6 micrometers and 120 micrometers.  
     
     
         5 . The laminate of  claim 1  wherein the sealant layer is a polymer.  
     
     
         6 . The laminate of  claim 5  wherein the sealant layer is selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyamides, polyvinylchlorides, fluoroplastics, and polyolefins.  
     
     
         7 . The laminate of  claim 5  wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), two-ply high density polyethylene/linear low density polyethylene, ethylene interpolymers, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polychloro-trifluoroethylene, polyphenylene sulfide, ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene vinyl alcohol, nitrile resin films, nylon, rubber, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The laminate of  claim 1 , further comprising a protective layer having a surface disposed adjacent to the external surface of the moisture barrier layer.  
     
     
         9 . The laminate of  claim 8  wherein the protective layer is a polymer.  
     
     
         10 . The laminate of  claim 9  wherein the protective layer is selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyamides, polyvinylchlorides, fluoroplastics, polyacrylonitrile, and polyolefins.  
     
     
         11 . The laminate of  claim 9  wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, medium density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), two-ply high density polyethylene/linear low density polyethylene, ethylene interpolymers, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyacrylonitrile, polychloro-trifluoroethylene, polyphenylene sulfide, ethylene vinyl acetate, ethylene vinyl alcohol, nitrile resin films, nylon, rubber, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The laminate of  claim 1  wherein sealant layer contains an absorbent material.  
     
     
         13 . The laminate of  claim 12  wherein the absorbent material is selected from the group consisting of molecular sieves, magnesium phosphate, calcium sulfate, silica gel, clays, activated charcoal, activated alumina, water absorbent resins, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, calcium oxide, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The laminate of  claim 2  wherein the adhesive contains an absorbent material.  
     
     
         15 . The laminate of  claim 14  wherein the absorbent material is selected from the group consisting of molecular sieves, magnesium phosphate, calcium sulfate, silica gel, clays, activated charcoal, activated alumina, water absorbent resins, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, calcium oxide, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The laminate of  claim 8  wherein the protective layer contains an absorbent material.  
     
     
         17 . The laminate of  claim 16  wherein the absorbent material is selected from the group consisting of molecular sieves, magnesium phosphate, calcium sulfate, silica gel, clays, activated charcoal, activated alumina, water absorbent resins, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, calcium oxide, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The laminate of  claim 1 , further comprising an absorbent material coated onto the internal surface of the sealant layer.  
     
     
         19 . The laminate of  claim 18  wherein the absorbent material is selected from the group consisting of molecular sieves, magnesium phosphate, calcium sulfate, silica gel, clays, activated charcoal, activated alumina, water absorbent resins, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, calcium oxide, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         20 . A laminate for use as a battery housing, comprising: 
 (a) a sealant layer that is capable of acting as a barrier to an electrolyte, the sealant layer having an internal surface that is substantially inert to the electrolyte and an external surface;    (b) an absorbent material pattern printed on the internal surface of the sealant layer.    
     
     
         21 . The laminate of  claim 20  wherein the absorbent material is a moisture absorbent selected from the group consisting of molecular sieves, magnesium phosphate, calcium sulfate, silica gel, activated charcoal, water absorbent resins, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         22 . The laminate of  claim 20  wherein the absorbent material is a hydrofluoric acid absorbent selected from the group consisting of activated alumina, activated charcoal, molecular sieves, clays, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, calcium oxide, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         23 . The laminate of  claim 20  wherein the sealant layer contains an absorbent material.  
     
     
         24 . The laminate of  claim 20  further comprising a barrier layer characterized by an internal surface that is disposed adjacent to the external surface of the sealant layer and an external surface.  
     
     
         25 . The laminate of  claim 24  wherein the barrier layer contains an absorbent material.  
     
     
         26 . The laminate of  claim 24 , further comprising an adhesive material between the sealant layer and the barrier layer.  
     
     
         27 . The laminate of  claim 26  wherein the adhesive material contains an absorbent material.  
     
     
         28 . The laminate of  claim 24 , further comprising a protective layer characterized by an internal surface that is disposed adjacent to the external surface of the barrier layer and an external surface.  
     
     
         29 . The laminate of  claim 28  wherein the protective layer contains an adhesive material.  
     
     
         30 . The laminate of  claim 28 , further comprising an adhesive material between the protective layer and the barrier layer.  
     
     
         31 . The laminate of  claim 30  wherein the adhesive material contains an absorbent material.  
     
     
         32 . A housing for a battery, comprising: 
 (a) a laminate comprising a sealant layer that is capable of acting as a barrier to an electrolyte, the sealant layer having an internal surface that is substantially inert to the electrolyte and an external surface, wherein the laminate is fashioned into a pouch having at least one seam that is double sealed by a first and a second sealing region such that a channel is defined between the first and the second sealing regions; and    (b) an absorbent material located within the channel defined by the first and second sealing regions of the double seal.    
     
     
         33 . The laminate of  claim 32  wherein the absorbent material is a moisture absorbent selected from the group consisting of molecular sieves, magnesium phosphate, calcium sulfate, silica gel, activated charcoal, water absorbent resins, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         34 . The laminate of  claim 32  wherein the absorbent material is a hydrofluoric acid absorbent selected from the group consisting of activated alumina, activated charcoal, molecular sieves, clays, titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, calcium oxide, and combinations thereof.